The Second Coming
by AzraelSatyre
Summary: Final Fantasy 7 and 8 crossover
1. The arrival

Disclaimer: The characters in the following story are not my property and are owned by squaresoft. 

Authors Note: This is my first fanfic so be gentle with the reviews.

The sound of sword striking sword reverberated throughout the streets.

"You've improved," Cloud said as he blocked Tifa's attack.

"So you noticed," Tifa replied wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead.

"Isn't this more efficient then bruising your knuckles on someone's face?"

"Maybe, but it seems more rewarding to feel the bones break." Tifa said laughing.

She attempted a lunge at Cloud but tripped over a rock, crashing awkwardly into the ground.

"Screw this," she yelled in a fit of rage. She jumped to her feet and threw the sword as far as she could from herself. "I'm sticking with what I know best."

"Giving up already," Barret said laughing

She shot him a look that stopped his laughter and made him back away a little bit.

Barret turned to Cid with his hand outstretched, " I win that's twenty gil." he said with a laugh.

Cid sighed and handed over the money. "At this rate I won't have enough money to live on."

"You guys are betting on this?," Tifa said with a hurt look on her face.

"Well your not the most patient person in the world ," Barret said with a nervous laugh.

Tifa growled and clenched her fists together, "I'll show you patient!" She started to stomp towards Barret but Cloud stopped her halfway.

"Its all right Tifa, we'll pick this lesson up another day, we can just spar for now." 

"Ha, good it will give me a chance to show you that a fist can beat a sword in a fight," she said with excitement in her eyes.

Barret turned to Cid, "Twenty gil says Cloud wins."

Vincent yawned leaning against the bar watching the two start their duel having nothing else better to occupy his attention.

"I'll try and go easy on you," she said as she started the duel off with a running charge at Cloud.

"Is she crazy," he though to himself as he swung his sword to intercept her charge.

She smiled as she leaped in the air using the sword as leverage to propel herself over the spiky haired warrior landing behind him. Once there she kicked his legs out from under him. As he fell he grabbed onto her collar pulling her down with him. They both crashed into the ground Cloud hitting first followed by Tifa landing on him.

"Cloud hit the ground first, which means he lost so pay up," Cid said with a condescending smile.

Barret grumbled as he threw twenty gil into Cid's hand. 

Tifa looked down at Cloud who appeared daze from the fall. "I...I'm sorry," she stammered as she jumped off of him quickly turning her head away so he wouldn't see her blushing. 

Once the world ceased spinning Cloud slowly picked himself off the ground. "Impressive."

"I though so too," a voice said coming from the shadows.

Everyone turned towards the sound of the voice at the same time readying their weapons.

"Who's there" Cloud yelled.

Vincent, Cid, and Barret all came to stand by Cloud and Tifa waiting for the person to reveal themselves. Their eyes grew wide with terror as the figure stepped out of the shadows.

"You all seem surprised to see me," the figure said as he brushed a few strands of silver hair behind his ear.

"You're...you're dead I saw Cloud kill you with my own eyes," Tifa said in a shocked voice.

"Which I have come to repay him for," replied Sephiroth as he pulled his sword from his sheath.

"You couldn't do it before what makes you think you can do it again," Cloud said in a confident voice.

"Because you have a weakness in which I do not, let me demonstrate."

As he spoke bolts of lightning shot from his hand and struck Barret in the chest sending him flying through the bar's wall. 

Tifa, Cloud, and Cid all ran to the bar to make sure Barret was still breathing, Vincent stayed to challenge Sephiroth.

"You shall pay for that demonstration," Vincent said in a calm voice raising his gun and firing twice into Sephiroth's chest sending him backwards a few feet. A slight look of surprise came to Vincent's face as Sephiroth stood back up as if nothing happened.

"I'm already dead remember," Sephiroth said as he lunged forward and cut Vincent's gun in half.

Having no other option Vincent punched the seemingly invincible demon, knocking the him away. He attacked with another punch thinking that Sephiroth was stunned, but was caught off guard when his arm was caught in mid-punch. 

"Your in the way weakling," he said calmly as he brought his other hand into Vincent's elbow hard, snapping the bone. He then pulled Vincent forward and shoved his knee into the proud warrior's ribs sending him flying back.

Vincent hit the ground and groaned, holding his side. " Is that the best you can do," he said as he slowly pulled himself back to his feet.

"Impressive, but not quite good enough." Moving like lightning Sephiroth was upon Vincent again. 

Being prepared this time Vincent rolled to the side, dodging the attack and pulling another gun from his coat with his good arm. He fired three times each bullet hitting its mark in Sephiroth's side.

Sephiroth turned towards him. "Shoot me as many times as you'd like, it won't work." He threw his sword towards the injured man distracting him. Taking advantage of the distraction he charged forward and punch Vincent in the chest twice then brought his knee into the stunned mans stomach and threw him against a nearby building.

Vincent pulled himself up to his feet again, this time a little slower and groaned as he held his side. He wavered now and then but managed to maintain his balance.

Sephiroth looked at Vincent with a hint of rage in his eyes. "You may be resilient but everyone has their breaking point." 

"We shall see about that," he said with defiance in his voice.

"Then I will have to show you." He rushed Vincent before the weakened warrior had time to react and lifted him in the air by his neck.

As a last ditch effort Vincent emptied his clip into Sephiroth's knee and chest.

Sephiroth began punching Vincent in his ribs and threw him against the wall again. He began gathering lightning in his hand intent on ending the warrior's life but his attack was cut short as Tifa flew into his side knocking him over.

Tifa helped Vincent to his feet and led him to a nearby bench so the warrior could recuperate, then she joined the others. The other emerge from the bar helping Barret walk.

"You caught me by surprise, that won't happen again," Barret said growling. 

Sephiroth got back to his feet and picked up his sword then he turned to Cloud and the others. "Your efforts are wasted."

"We shall see about that," Cloud replied as charged the silver haired man, raising his sword and bringing it down with tremendous force.

A shower of sparks flew as the two swords collided with ferocity, the blow knocked Sephiroth to one knee. Cid saw this as an opening and threw his javelin only to have Sephiroth reflect it back at him with an invisible force. It happened so fast Cid couldn't get out of the way in time and fell to the ground in pain as the javelin ripped through his leg.

Cloud looked to Cid, a look that cost him. Sephiroth pushed him back and kicked him in the chest knocking the wind from Cloud's body. Just as he was descending on Cloud, Tifa kicked Sephiroth in the side sending him flying again. She helped Cloud to his feet and turned her look towards the downed foe who was climbing back to his feet.

"Oh no you don't," she said as she rushed in throwing a punch into Sephiroth's chest. 

She gasped as he caught her arm and twisted it in a painful way. He hit her in the stomach causing her to double over and pain, then spun kicked her in the ribs making her fall to the ground gasping for air. He raised his sword in the air ready to stab through her when a javelin hit him in the back. He looked down at the weapon sticking through his body and growled slightly.

"HA! Bull's-eye." Cid said with a hint of pain in his voice. "But shouldn't you have fallen down?"

Vincent limped over to rejoin the battle. "He seem invincible at the moment," he called to Cid.

Sephiroth pulled the javelin from his body and started to walk towards Cid with a hint of anger in his eyes when Tifa tried to leg sweep him. He turned towards her and shoved the javelin through her leg pinning her to the ground. "That should keep you down for a while."

Tifa cried out in pain and clutched her thigh. "You bastard!"

Barret and Cloud charged Sephiroth at the same time. Barret unleashed he gattling gun as Cloud attacked him from the side.

"Fools," Sephiroth sneered as he parried Cloud's attack and shot Barret back again with a blast of lightning.

Vincent jumped on Sephiroth's back distracting him for a moment and Cloud slashed his chest. He watched with dismay as the slash healed in a matter of seconds.

"You don't learn do you?" Sephiroth grabbed Vincent's hair and flipped him forward slamming him to the ground then kicked him in the ribs sending him flying sideways.

Cloud used this time to run over to Tifa and free her. He pulled the javelin out and tossed it to the side and began helping her to her feet.

"Watch out!" she yelled as she pointed behind him.

Cloud turned around just in time to see Sephiroth coming down on him from the air. He brought his sword up to block the oncoming attack. The force of the attack was so powerful that it broke Cloud's sword and sent him flying back crashing into the ground.

Tifa attempt to punch Sephiroth in the chest again but her hand was caught in mid-air.

"You've pushed your luck to far foolish woman." He twisted her arm breaking the bone and slammed the hilt of his sword against her head sending her to the ground. He picked her up from the ground by her throat.

The next few moments seemed to pass by in slow motion to everyone as they were helpless to stop what was about to happen. Cloud got up and started to run towards Sephiroth and Tifa as fast as he could.

Sephiroth pulled his sword back and brought it forward through Tifa's abdomen with such speed that she didn't have time to react. He smirked and threw her off of his sword into Cloud knocking him down. "It's funny of how history has a way of repeating itself," and with that Sephiroth disappeared in a white light.

Cloud held on to Tifa and looked down at her with pain in his eyes.

She smiled and brought her hand to his cheek. "I....I'm sorry I wasn't stronger...." as the last word left her mouth her hand fell from his face and fell to the ground next to her.

Cloud held on to her as the others started to gather around him.

"....Tifa..." Barret said in a choked voice.

"No girl you can't leave us," Cid said as his eyes began to fill with tears.

Vincent bowed his head with respect and knelt beside her and Cloud.

Cloud continued to hold her and a tear fell from his eye landing on her forehead.... "I've failed twice."


	2. Getting Help

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the FF character portrayed in the following story

Tifa woke up in a cold sweat. She looked around and tried to sit up but a sharp pain in her stomach caused her to stay down. She winced in pained as she remembered what happened. Ignoring the pain she brought herself to a sitting position. 

"What are you doing, you should be laying down." Barret said as he came in.

"Where is everyone? She said as she held the nausea down

"Vincent and Cid are getting there wounds healed and Cloud went to go enlist the help of SeeD, he thinks that Shinra has something to do with Sephiroth coming back. He should be back in a couple of days."

"How are we supposed to defeat someone who is already dead," she said with a groan as she laid back down.

"I don't know but we will find a way, I stake my life on it," he said with a growl. "Just lay back down we will have more answers when Cloud returns."

Tifa sighed then drifted off to sleep...

Cloud looked around as he approached the gates of SeeD headquarters. He saw young cadets training with each other and others playing some kind of card game. Squall and Rinoa stood waiting for him at the door.

"Hello we received word of your coming, I am Squall and this is my wife Rinoa," he said as he offered his hand to Cloud.

"Pleasure to me you," Rinoa said smiling.

"I am Cloud," he said as he accepted the outstretched.

"Come inside, we can discuss this in detail in my office."

Squall and Rinoa lead Cloud to an office and closed the door behind them.

"Have a seat," Squall said as he pushed a chair towards him. "Tell us the nature of your visit."

" About three days ago a man that I had killed attacked my team, it's like he was resurrected. I think that Shinra might have something to do with it. I need to break into the Shinra building and find out any information on their computer that they might have."

"Hmm...Rinoa go get Quistis and have her find out any information about resurrections." 

Rinoa kissed Squall then ran off to find Quistis.

"As for you Cloud I will send in my best team to accompany you, I would come too but there is too much responsibility for me to take care of here."

"What's the catch," Cloud said with suspicion "you agreed so readily."

"Well lately there has been a shortage of work and our Garden is terribly under funded, this adventure of yours is just what we need to bring up morale and bring in some funds."

"After we break into the Shinra building and gather the information I need I will pay you 8000 gil, is this sufficient?" 

"That will do fine." Squall pushed a button for the intercom. "Zell Dincht, Selphie Tilmitt, and Irvine Kinneas come to the main office immediately."

Zell, Selphie, and Irvine all arrived within moments.

"What's up B-man," Zell said smiling.

"I have a mission for you three." Squall motion towards Cloud. "This is Cloud he will be leading this mission. You guys are to break into a military building and gather the information he needs. Cloud will fill you in on the rest of the mission later."

"Awesome!!" Zell jumped in the air in excitement. 

"Well there be any pretty ladies?" Irvine smiled.

"Is it dangerous?" Selphie asked.

"It is dangerous so I want you to exercise caution. Don't be seen. The last thing we need is for a military force to become our enemies. You are to leave in four hours so get ready."

Zell, Selphie and Irvine all went to their rooms to gather their equipment.

Cloud looked at Squall; "I will bring them back in one piece."

Squall smiled, " Don't worry these three are the best I have and are quite capable."

Rinoa returned with some papers in her hand. "We found something."

"What did you find," Cloud asked interested

"Well it's just about a bunch of legend and folklore but it's the only thing we have to go from. It is said that if someone can combine the power of Holy and the power of Ultima that they would have such powers like bring back the dead or controlling any Guardian forces they choose."

Squall looked concerned. "This could be bigger than we think." He turned towards Cloud. "I would like a copy of the information you gather if that is all right with you."

"It's fine." Cloud said. 

Cloud and Squall shook hands to seal the deal.

"This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship." Rinoa said smiling.


End file.
